Echoes
by AngelicConquistador
Summary: He must live with the regret of letting her go, while the music haunts his ears. [Clouffie] [Hinted Yuffentine]


**Rei**: I don't have anything to say right now… --;

**Disclaimer**- I don't own anything.

**Dedicated to**: Archica (I love her Airsick Shrine)

**Summary**: He must live with the regret of letting her go, while the music haunts his ears. Clouffie Hinted Yuffentine

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**Echoes- a Clouffie One-shot**

"Speech"

'Thought'

_Flashback_

Outside Edge-

Cloud's POV

I sat on a large rock, near my parked motorbike. It was another one of those nights where I felt the need to be alone. Tifa understood- she was one of the only ones who did. She was one of my best friends, after all, but even surrounding yourself with familiarity doesn't ease the ache of loneliness.

I still remember that day two years ago, before everyone went their separate ways. Almost everyone else was at the bar, except for me and Yuffie, who had mysteriously disappeared.

_I walked into Tifa's house that was connected to the bar, intent on finding Yuffie. Tifa had mentioned that she had disappeared and asked me to go find her, so I did. I walked past my room (Tifa lets him live with her, but they don't LIKE LIKE each other --) and continued down the hall when I heard a faint melody._

_It was soothing, beautiful (a word he'd never thought he'd use), and harmonic. As I got closer it was much louder, and as I walked into the room I could see with her back facing me, Yuffie._

_Her fingers glided across the keys, pressing them gently but yet firmly as she continued the song. If she saw me come in, she pretended not to notice. A gentle smile upon her face and her eyes were closed, it gave the room a sort of calming air._

_At first I never knew why Tifa had wanted a piano when she couldn't even play- but she did. And it seemed that Yuffie knew how to play perfectly…I couldn't help but admire her as she continued to perform._

_Soon, a little too soon for my liking the song came to a close and her fingers came to rest in her lap, and she let out a little sigh. _

_I figured I should let her know I was here, so I cleared my throat._

_She wheeled around on the bench and her mouth opened up into a little o, it was actually kind of cute in a way. "H-hey Spiky… what's up?"_

"_Tifa wants you to come back to the party."_

_A frown tugged at her mouth before it went away. She shook her head. "Not yet. Did you like it?"_

_I didn't want to upset her, and plus I did actually like it, so I nodded._

_One of the biggest smiles I've ever seen bloomed on her face, and for a moment it felt like she lit up the room with it. The next thing I know I have two arms around my waist. "Thanks, Cloud." She was beaming into my chest, and then she let go with a blush. It was actually quite cute on her, and I was surprised I'd ever used that word. If Zack saw me now he would be laughing…And Aeris would just smile and giggle._

"_I betcha didn't know I could play," she motioned towards the ebony piano. "My dad made me learn when I was little to help me with my hand-eye coordination. The song you heard was the only song my mother ever taught me." She had a small sad smile at that, but then it brightened._

"_So, Cloudy, I bet you wish you knew how to play, huh?" She was smiling in that subtle way that said she was enjoying annoying the heck out of me, but I wasn't really annoyed. I think she knew that, but smiled anyway. _

"_I can only wonder if the greatest ninja alive will teach me," I recited with half-sarcasm and half-seriousness. I didn't mind learning, it was better than being around the drunken Cid and Barret._

"_Well then get over here, and I'll show ya." She patted the part on the bench next to her and waited for me to come, and I did._

"_Okay Cloud, first put your fingers on the keys… no not like that- here let me show you." She picked up my hands and promptly set them on the keys in the 'right' way, and she proceeded to teach me which keys where which, how to read the notes, and without me noticing it time had flown by._

_When I would stumble over some keys she would laugh in that melodious yet lively voice of hers and then help me with them. Before I knew it we were playing together, though I messed up quite a bit she didn't mind. _

_When the song came to an end, she looked up towards me seriously and said, "You know Cloud, music is the most beautiful when it is played with someone you care about." A flush of pink appeared on her cheeks and she turned to get out of the room._

_I couldn't help it, something had come over me. "Wait," I called out, and lightly grabbed her hand. She turned back to me, surprised._

"_Please stay." I never thought I of all people would say something like that, but I guess you could say the ninja girl had a firm hold on my heart._

_A smile started to form on her face that reached her eyes, and she nodded happily. We sat down to play again together, and for once I did not feel so lonely or cold. Just warm and a sense of togetherness; it was calming and soothed the soul._

_The rest is history, and I knew that the next day she had to go home._

"_Cloud…" She had chosen to say good bye to me last, for whatever reason I didn't know. She looked at me in all seriousness and then flung herself at me, and our arms went around each other. "I… I'm going to miss you Cloud, you know, being ruler of Wutai and all… I'll be stuck there for a long time." Her own laugh seemed haunted to my ears._

"_I'm sorry, Yuffie." That was all I could think of to say, and I guess it was the wrong thin- no, I know it was the wrong thing to say._

_Her eyes watered and her bottom lip quivered. "So… aren't you going to miss me? Or was all our time together worth nothing?"_

"_Yuffie, I… I don't know…" My heart said 'damn you you moron, say something to her that she wants to hear and that you want to say!' but my mind cried 'it was just a lesson… and just a journey…' _

_She turned around, head down. "I see how it is… I get it. I get it Cloud, no need to say any more. I guess… a ninja **brat **isn't worth saying goodbye towards."_

_I reached out to her and held her by the shoulder. "That's not it…"_

"_If it isn't, then what? Don't you even like me at least a little?" Her hands were clenching and unclenching, and she looked hurt._

"_I do."_

"_Aren't you going to stop me, then?"_

"_But your duty to your country, isn't it more importa-" My own words were cut off._

"_More important than you? To me, it was, hell I'd even make my dumb second cousin ruler if you cared enough to keep me here but… I guess this is where I leave you. Goodbye Cloud." She gave me a chaste kiss on the lips before I had time to react and ran off with tears in her eyes._

_I felt numb, and I didn't know what to do. Later I learned that was the stupidest mistake of my life._

Even now, it's been almost two years since that happened, and I haven't gotten any word from her directly. It was always Tifa who broke the news to me, with an apologetic look in her eyes.

She was getting married to Vincent, and I guess I lost my chance when I didn't say anything back.

If I knew what my feelings were… If I wasn't so stupid, maybe I wouldn't feel so much regret. It would've been me who was engaged to Yuffie, me who was going to be her husband for all time, and it would've be me who would have gotten to hold her and lie in bed with her every night.

It just hits me the worst when I go into the room where that piano lies, and try to play a few notes. It always sounds off-key, and when I'm not in that room I hear the haunting melody of that song, the keys getting louder and louder as the song progresses. No one else has heard anything but me, with Denzel and the others giving me strange looks when I explain it.

And I also hear her laughter in the back round, ringing in my ears.

**It was just a m i s s e d chance, **

**And**

_**Now**_

**It's**

_Gone._

The echoes never fade, as I see you in my memories.

I'm sorry Yuffie…

End

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**Rei**: well how was that for a bit of angst? By the way, I wrote this a long time ago, just never posted it 'till now. Please review! 


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